HARTFORD – State Senator Gayle Slossberg (D-Milford) today stood with Secretary of the State Denise Merrill to support a package of voting reform initiatives that will strengthen the democratic process in Connecticut and encourage more citizens to exercise their right to vote.

The Government Administration and Election Committee, which Senator Slossberg co-chairs, held a public hearing today on several proposals put forth by Governor Dannel P. Malloy, including online and Election Day voter registration, no-excuse absentee voting and a bill to increase penalties for voter intimidation and vote tampering.

“This a great package of ideas about ways to increase voter participation and to make our voting process more accessible to the citizens of our state. Many of these proposals are initiatives that have been priorities in our committee for years and we are thrilled that Governor Malloy and Secretary of the State Merrill are championing these bills,” said Senator Slossberg.

“When one in three eligible voters in our state does not even bother to register to vote, that tells me we have a crisis of low voter participation,” said Secretary Merrill. “We need to modernize and streamline our voting process, and make it easier for our increasingly busy and mobile citizens to use their constitutional right to vote.”

Added Senator Slossberg: “In addition to making it easier for people to vote, online registration can save money. In Maricopa County in Arizona, the cost to register by paper is 83 cents, but the cost to register online is just three cents. That can add up to significant savings.”

The package also includes a resolution calling for an amendment to the state Constitution that would remove restrictions on absentee ballot voting, thereby paving the way for ideas such as early voting and no-excuse absentee voting. At least 27 other states allow no-excuse absentee voting and 32 allow early voting, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.